tlbutler

It is really hard to change your image of how you perceive yourself. Donna, you look amazing...now you have to tell your head that and believe it in your heart and feel it in your soul. Ok so this sounds silly, but my therapist had me make a "self affirmation" mirror that I work on every day. I have to tell you it was tough to start, but as I got into it, I began to believe what I was telling myself. You need a sticky note pad and a mirror. Start by writing something GOOD on the sticky note then sticking it to the side of the mirror (there is no room for negative thoughts). Every day you look into the mirror and say out loud what you wrote on the sticky note to affirm the positive thought that was written. You must believe what you are saying in your head then heart and commit it to your soul before making a new sticky note. My first affirmation was I am short and unique. My second, I am loved by my family. I am a good sister. I am a caring daughter/person. I am a great mom. I am a good person. I am a devoted girlfriend. Then as the weeks went by, I noticed my attitude towards myself began to change and I started liking and respecting me. I am beautiful. I have inner beauty. I am strong. I am resilient. I am worth it. I am worthy. I am sexy. I believe in myself. Push all of those negative thoughts out of your brain and look at what we see. Donna, you are beautiful... you just have to feel it in your soul. Believe in yourself.

I don't mind telling anyone what I did if they ask. I have worked hard these past 3 months. I was banded 9/17/13 and have lost enough weight for people to notice which is exciting (37 pounds my last weigh in)!! I am not ashamed that I asked for help and grateful I have people who support me (and haven't given up on me and my attempts to loose weight). My "someday I will be healthy" wish is now closer than it was yesterday.

Lol sorry NewMeDebbie, it is under the forum "tell us your lap band story" and under the thread "5 years later" 5.0Junkie wrote a post about his experience on an airplane that touched my heart.

Lol puréed pizza!! When I was younger I was a cook for a rehabilitation center/nursing home. We would purée just about anything (chicken, beef, hot dogs) but pizza?? It must not look very appetizing lol!!

I also was banded 9/17/13! When is your first fill? My first fill is scheduled on November 8th.

For those if you who like pumpkin flavor and eat Greek yogurt, Trader Joe's has pumpkin flavor 0% fat free Greek yogurt that is pretty good.

You can add the Unjury to just about any liquid. You just can't add it to a liquid that is over 140 degrees or else it congeals. Crystal light, energy drinks, chicken broth etc.

The tuna or spinach may be too heavy for your "new" stomach and may either hurt or make you vomit. Can you drink energy drinks such as G2??

Hi Courtney, can you get Water down?? Try sf popsicles and sf Jello you definitely do not want to dehydrate. Is there a Protein drink that you like?? Or really thin out the shakes that you use?? I use unjury unflavored Protein powder and can add it to anything...crystal light, broth and I even made sf protein jello. I hope you feel better.

I agree Debbie. I feel the pressure also as a nurse to be healthy since I know all of the "side effects" of being obese. I work as a private hospice nurse because I felt as though I was always under the microscope when I worked in a public setting. People are not always very kind.

I know that I may get grief for this but the band is a tool to help us...eating food that is not good for us is eating from emotion as well as bad habit. The band does not send an electrical zap to our hands when we reach for something that is not healthy for us. Even when restricted, it is up to us to eat healthy and follow the rules that the dietician gives us. No matter what surgery you opted to get, you will get cravings and want to eat from emotion or habit and with all three weight loss options you can gain weight and make unhealthy food choices. We as strong woman and men (and let's face it, we all have strong will and amazingly strong inner strength) and have to overcome the emotions and bad habits and learn to eat better for ourselves. Prepare yourself for emotional hunger (keep a protein bar, sugar free pudding, sf jello, sf pops in your reach) recognize the emotion and don't give in. It is not easy but every day give yourself a pep talk and say that you are worth it...you deserve to be healthy...you can do it!! This marathon has just begun and I am determined to go the distance and cross that finish line.

I took my sister out for her birthday today...I fit into the booth without getting stuck or with "my stuff" hanging over the table!! Fun times!!

I write down everything on a log that I turn into my dietician every month. I am honest with what I write and her feedback is appreciated. I have been successful since I started because of the accountability I have to my team of doctors, myself and to the band. I am on fitness pal but don't use it.

It is so strange the wide array of pre and post op diets there are. I am exactly 3 weeks post op today and I am on a ground diet. 3 oz of protein have to be consumed before I can eat a 1/2 cup of cooked veggies. I can have yogurt and protein drinks to make up for any protein meals that I can't consume. My surgeon will not so a full until 8 weeks after surgery.

Does anyone keep a food log? I am required to by my NUT. I do find that it is easier to track my protein amount when I write it down. I am on ground food for the next 5 weeks then my surgeon will evaluate my weight loss for a fill.

I had my post op appointments yesterday... And they weighed me... I lost 16 pounds post op (surgery was September 17th). I started July 21st at 259.8 and I weighed in yesterday at 222.8. But last night I started a 5 week ground food diet so I expect the weight loss to slow way down.

Thank you everyone!! From your posts it sounds like the turkey may not have been wet enough. Thank you for the recipe suggestions also. I wrote them down and will try them!!!

Ugh, I ate my first ground meal (2 ounces of ground turkey meat ) and now I am feeling horrible. I am supposed to eat 3 ounces but has to stop at 2. I have been looking forward to this meal for 18 days and now...this is not how I pictured it would be.

Lol, me too!! The dietician that I am seeing called in sick yesterday and I can't advance to mushys until I see her (the appointment was made for this Friday). I had my surgery 15 days ago and I am soo ready to move out of the full liquid stage!!!